Learn about current topics and trends in dentistry and the importance of oral health as it relates to overall health from our team of experts.
The Power of Smile ™ Oral Health Library
Stay up to date on the current topics and trends in dentistry. Articles are updated regularly on topics that discuss the importance of oral health as it relates to overall health from our team of experts.
Meet The Clinicians
Learn about current topics and trends in dentistry and the importance of oral health as it relates to overall health from our team of experts.
Eileen Crespo, MD
Dr. Eileen Crespo is the Vice President of Medical Services at Delta Dental of Minnesota. Dr. Crespo is a practicing pediatrician of 20 years. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a member of the Board of Directors at Children’s Dental Service and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
R. Bruce Templeton, DMD
Dr. Bruce Templeton is an oral surgeon and has served both on the board and as a medical consultant for Delta Dental of Minnesota since 2011. Dr. Templeton has served as both the Chief of Dentistry and Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, and as a clinical professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.
Recent Articles
- Interdental cleaners: how to choose
- What does snoring do to your mouth?
- Mental health & oral health in youth
- What is root canal treatment and when is it needed?
- Oral Cancer and Head & Neck Cancer Awareness
- Do dental fillings or restorations need to be replaced?
- How do our teeth change as we age?
- What do my teeth tell me about my health?
- How do I know if I have a cavity?
- Taste Buds Grow Up Too
- Clinician's Corner: Baby Teeth, The Building Blocks to a Healthy Smile
- Canker and cold sores
- Why do hot and cold hurt my teeth?
- Chewing gum: a sticky subject
- TMJ Awareness Month
- Thanksgiving cravings to make you smile
- Mouthwash – ask a dentist!
- Scare away cavities this Halloween
- What's new in dentistry?
- Mental health & your smile - the connection
- What kind of toothbrush should I buy?
- Monkeypox guidelines to keep you safe
- Dentures - options and care
- Rehydration - which drinks are best for your oral health?
- 10 Tips for Oral Health and Pregnancy
- 5 foods you didn’t know were good for your teeth
- Ask an Expert: Basics of Toothbrushing
- Athletic mouthguards to protect teeth
- Cannabis (marijuana) and your oral health
- Choosing between a general and pediatric dentist
- Clinician's Corner: A beginner's guide to braces
- Clinician's Corner: Baby teeth— the building blocks to a healthy smile
- Clinician's Corner: Caring for & cleaning braces
- Clinician's Corner: Dental dangers on TikTok
- Clinician's Corner: Dentures do's and don'ts
- Clinician's Corner: Losing Baby Teeth
- Clinician's Corner: Oral health & the immune system
- Clinician's Corner: Pearls of wisdom... teeth!
- Clinician's Corner: Raising a cavity-free kid
- Clinician's Corner: Tips for dealing with dry mouth
- Clinician’s Corner: Acidic drinks & your teeth
- Clinician’s Corner: Dental Sealants
- Clinician’s Corner: Keep kids smiling all summer!
- Clinician’s Corner: Teeth grinding & COVID-19
- Dentists, your child and oral health
- Guide to your child’s teeth
- Gum disease, tooth loss and heart health
- Help your child floss](/article/help-your-child-floss
- How the sun can keep your smile shining
- Oral health in middle-age (30-50 year olds)
- Osteoporosis medications & oral health
- Preventing early childhood cavities
- The connection between diabetes and oral health
- What to do when your child has a toothache
Featured Articles
Trend alert: Tooth gems
Tooth gems are a way to add a unique look to your smile; however, modifying teeth in this way can have negative oral health consequences. Learn the facts about these accessories before deciding if they are right for you.
Tips to begin a healthy school year
The new school year is a great time to freshen your family's oral health supplies! Here are a few suggestions to add to your back-to-school shopping lists.
Help kids fight cavities this summer
Summer is a great time to get kids caught up on routine dental visits and seek additional preventive care treatments ahead of the school year! Learn about fluoride treatments and dental sealants.
Why you can talk to your dentist about the HPV vaccine (yes, really!)
Even though medical and dental treatments are looked at as separate – the HPV vaccine is an area where integration between the two is important. HPV infection is thought to cause 70% of cases of cancer in the back of the throat and tonsils (also known as oropharyngeal cancer). The vaccine prevents these types of cancer-causing infections.
Interdental cleaners: how to choose
Cleaning the spaces and surfaces between your teeth is as important as the front and back. Unfortunately, using a toothbrush is not an effective way to clean these hard-to-reach spaces. Besides traditional floss, there are other ways to keep these spaces free of plaque and build up. Take a look to see which option may work the best for your routine!
What does snoring do to your mouth?
Snoring can cause some negative oral health consequences. Learn what the risks are and how to help prevent snoring.
Mental health & oral health in youth
Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we are focusing on the connection between mental health and oral health, specifically for children and adolescents. Anxiety and depression in youth doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is root canal treatment and when is it needed?
May is Root Canal Awareness Month. In this post, let's take a look at this treatment to understand what it is and when it is needed.
Oral Cancer and Head & Neck Cancer Awareness
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Let's take a look at the warning signs in the mouth and ways to reduce the risk of contracting these cancers.
Do dental fillings or restorations need to be replaced?
Just like your natural teeth, fillings, crowns and restorations are affected by age and quality of care. Learn about filling, crown and restoration options and their expected longevity.
How do our teeth change as we age?
Just as our bodies and minds change with age, so do our teeth. Let's look at a few changes you might notice as you hit different milestones in your lifetime.
What do my teeth tell me about my health?
We often mention the impact of oral health on overall health, so let’s take a look at the ways signs or symptoms in the mouth can point to other greater health concerns.